Eradication
by beginswithkay
Summary: It has been announced that sorcery is now illegal, and anyone found guilty of being able to wield magic will be named guilty for treason and eliminated by the sheer force of weapons. Protestors erupt in rage all across Earthland, but the "New Lawmakers" only have one thing to say... "Run, Mages, run." NaLu, GaLe, and more. T for violence.


Eradication

Prologue

_"Don't think there is no danger just because the water is calm."_

* * *

Lucy smiled softly, running her hand through her unconscious friend's hair. For the past few weeks, Natsu hadn't left her side for hardly anything and had dragged her on mission after mission. She didn't know why, but she definitely wasn't going to start complaining. She loved the extra attention and the warm feeling she got inside every time he smiled at her.

Now, they were traveling to a small town near the Magic Council in Era for a rather easy job- finding a flower for an elderly man to place on his wife's grave. With their luck, it would probably end up being guarded by a type of fiend, thirsty for their blood and craving their-

Lucy shuddered, forcing the thoughts from her mind. Glancing down at Natsu's head in her lap, his warmth spreading through her legs, Lucy thought to herself that it was always difficult to feel scared with him around. His presence was just so calming.

Happy, sitting across from her in the small train compartment, gave a wide yawn and asked, "Lucy? How much longer?"

Turning toward the window, she studied the green scenery and shrugged. "I'm not sure. It shouldn't be too long, though."

Happy groaned, falling back against the seat onto his back. "You said that like two hours ago!"

She laughed and opened her mouth to reply, when suddenly, the train jerked to a stop, yanking the now moaning Natsu from Lucy's lap and onto the hard floor.

* * *

"Uhhhhhhh.." The assistant peered at the large, circular instrument, wrapped in hundreds of wires of a multitude of colors. Poking one carefully, it gave a loud beep and sizzled angrily. He raised an eyebrow and stated, "Yeah, I ain't have no idea how this... thing works."

The older man backhanded the scrawny assistant roughly, growling, "Then don't touch it, you moron. That will kill us both from one wrong move."

The assistant paled at that, taking several steps away from the mechanism. "What- what is it? Boss wouldn't tell me nothing. Just said he needed some men to move it someplace and turn it on."

"Can you read, boy?" The man as wrinkled as a crumpled piece of parchment demanded, studying his companion with a calculating expression.

"No," he answered slowly, "Boss took me away from my home when I was two. He said he saved me. Said my family was dangerous. I ain't had no time to get an education."

The elderly man nodded, glancing around the small basement room quickly. If he was going to do this, he had to do it now. Motioning to the young boy, he said, "Get back on that wall over there. I don't need you getting in the way."

The boy obeyed immediately, his wide eyes glued to the large instrument, anticipating the dangerous situation he found himself in.

The old man turned back to the machine, his gnarled fingers running along a red wire. The activation button should be around there somewhere...

"P-pardon me," the boy said hesitantly behind him, "but where are the other assistants I came here with? And Boss didn't tell me you were coming. Shouldn't you be at home?"

"Home," he responded sarcastically with a bitter laugh. "An old man like me has no home, just like that "Boss" of yours. I sent the assistants away- we didn't need them. And you make sure to tell the "Boss" that, too." His index finger found a smooth oval shape, and he peered in between the mass of wires at the bright red button.

"W-why... Why can't you tell him?" The boy asked faintly, sounding much like he was going to pass out. "Boss don't like me asking questions. He don't like me talking in general."

The elderly man circled the button with his finger thoughtfully, glancing at the boy. He didn't want the "Boss" to know he was the one that activated the weapon, but killing a boy not much older than fifteen? He didn't think he was capable of it. "You got yourself a woman?"

The boy smiled faintly at that. "Yeah, Jasmine. She's real beautiful. As soon I finish the debt to Boss, we're going to get married and start our own family. Five kids. We got it all planned out."

"Right," The old man sighed, looking back at the button. He couldn't kill this boy. "Well, I got this all figured out. I need you to go, now, back to the headquarters as fast as you can run and tell the "Boss" I handled it. Also... Tell him to remember where he came from. Tell him to remember what he was taught, and... Tell him we forgive him, if only he'll stop this madness."

The boy hesitated slightly, glancing longingly at the exit then back at the machine nervously.

"Go on, if you want to live. Get!"

The boy didn't need a second push, disappearing between the large door with one last confused glance back.

* * *

Lucy compared the request sheet to the address in front of her, a tiny, wooden cottage, surrounded by beautiful blue forget-me-nots, lit up by the the bright sun. She smiled despite herself. Her father used to retrieve those for her mother, when he went away on business trips.

Natsu stopped beside her, Happy perched on his shoulder, and raised his eyebrows at the plethora of flowers. "Geez, is this guy obsessed with plants or what?"

"Why can't someone be obsessed with something nice for once, like fish?" Happy added.

Rolling her eyes, she began walking up the short stone pathway to the door, Natsu following close behind her. Knocking firmly, she peered into the door's circular window curiously, but it was oddly dark, like something was covering it up.

She heard a figure scuffling inside the house, then something pressing against the door. "Who is there?" Came a gruff, muffled voice.

Exchanging weird looks with her partner, Lucy responded carefully, "We're from Fairy Tail. We're here to complete the request you sent out last week?"

There was a slight pause, and then the door cracked open slightly, a slanted blue eye peering at them. "You're mages?"

"Yes," Lucy answered uneasily, disliking the man's shadiness.

The door swung open to reveal a short bald man that looked more round than a ball with wrinkles that made even Master look young. He gestured them in wildly, his eyes flickering behind them. "Hurry, hurry come in!"

The trio walked into the tiny closed in anteroom hesitantly, studying the bare walls and floor.

The man slammed the door shut and locked it, flipping around and pressing his back against it as he demanded, "No one saw you, right? You were unseen? No one knows you came in?"

Natsu narrowed his eyes, taking a small step toward Lucy. "No one saw us. But we can more than take care of ourselves, so don't try anything."

The man chuckled offhandedly. "I apologize for my unfriendliness; I meant no offense. It's just that a powerful man thinks I'm dead, and I would like to keep it that way. Here, follow me." He quickly exited through a small hallway, not glancing back to see if they were indeed following.

Happy leaned down to whisper in Natsu's ear. "I don't like this. He seems pretty weird."

Lucy rolled her eyes, answering for Natsu, "You think everyone's weird," and following the man.

Happy sighed. "No, I just have a special radar for this kind of stuff. Lucy's weird, too."

Natsu ignored him, following his partner closely as he glanced around the house, completely bare of furniture and pictures. "This place is weird, Lucy. How does he live here?"

Lucy shushed him, turning into a closet sized room crowded with a small desk and three stools the height of Lucy's knees. The man sat behind the desk, glaring at the cluster of papers in front of him as if he'd like to set them on fire.

Lucy cleared her throat loudly, and the man gestured them to sit without even looking up. "You have to excuse me," he murmured quietly. "I have lots of work to be done."

Taking a seat on the stool in the corner, Natsu and Happy falling suit beside her, she fiddled her thumbs awkwardly. She wanted nothing more than to leave that strange place and go home. "We should make this quick then," she said. "Can you tell us where the flower you want is, so we can fetch it for you?"

He looked up then, his eyes switching between Natsu and Lucy. "Are you two together?"

"Yeah," Natsu responded at the same time Lucy denied with a fervent "no!"

Turning to glare at her partner, Lucy cried, "Natsu! We are not together. You'll have to forgive my friend here, he's pretty dense."

Rolling his eyes, Natsu explained, "I thought you meant if we were doing this job together. You know, like partners. Because we are."

Happy perked up, raising his small fist to say, "They like each other though! Everyone knows it!"

Before either one could say a word, the man interrupted quietly, his voice low with a sad tone. "You remind me of Alanna and me. She's been my wife for over forty years and the mother of my beautiful children. You'll like her. Yes, you'll definitely like her."

Lucy exchanged a wide eyed look with Natsu, confusion wrapping around her mind. Wasn't his wife... Dead?

He continued, "She's intelligent, humorous, brave, strong... She's a celestial Mage, too. Just like you, my dear." Lucy raised her eyebrows at this. She didn't meet too many mages like herself. "Her favorite flower is the Dragonsdale. They can be found just up the road, near the Town Hall in the main park. It's yellow, bright as the sun. It smells like honey. You can't miss it. I would go and get one myself, but I can't have anyone finding out about me. Make sure no one sees you when you return, yes? You can meet her when you bring back the flower. I'm sure you will all love her. She might even teach you a thing or two, my dear."

Lucy and Natsu stood uncomfortably, nodding at his words. Taking a step toward the door, Lucy said, "We'll be quick about it, so we don't draw attention. We'll be right back with the flower, I promise."

He didn't seem to hear her words though. His gaze was locked onto a pocket watch he had pulled from his coat, his chubby fingers circling it with what looked like deep sorrow. "She died two summers ago. Killed by the worst man I have ever met in my life. He thought he killed me too with that Devil's machine of his. But I wasn't there. Blood and ashes, I wasn't there to save them. We were arguing about... I don't even remember now, and I left the house to go for a walk. Came back, and there was nothing but ashes left of my home, my two children, and the woman I had grown to cherish. Most days, I wish I had died that night along with my family. Light, she was my world. I miss her more than life itself. And my children... They were so young. Had their whole lives ahead of them." His eyes shot up, nearly surprised to see the shocked girl and cat and the grim faced man with pink hair. "You should get going, now. I apologize, I forget myself sometimes."

* * *

The old man stood still, his finger frozen on the smooth button.

He didn't regret sending the assistants away. No, he was at peace with the boding arrival of his death. He just wished he had fulfilled his goal and received revenge for his daughter's death.

That man did not deserve to live. The monster had killed his mother, his father, his brother, and his beautiful and innocent daughter.

Illiyena was going to leave, become a scholar, make something of her life. And that bastard had killed her in cold blood, slitting her throat while she slept. That man deserved to die in the most painful of ways, with his eyes, ears, hands, feet, then throat ripped out, after having every single bone shattered with a hammer.

That horrible, horrible man should not live to see another day.

Sighing, the old man closed his eyes, focusing on solely the button and ignoring the distant chatter of voices and the thoughts of revenge stuck in his mind.

He had to have faith that the monster would get what was coming to him. He had to believe someone would complete his agenda of revenge for him.

He had to do what was necessary at that moment, to stop the said monster from destroying the entire city.

He had to sacrifice himself.

He took a deep breath.

He emptied his mind.

He breathed his daughters name.

He filled his ears with her laughter.

He added just the slightest amount of pressure, and the world exploded immediately around him in a flash of light, sound, and unbearable heat.

Then, everything went black.

* * *

Lucy grinned, yanking the most vibrant yellow flower she had ever seen in her life. "Natsu! Happy! I found it." She waved it the air, grinning at the dragonslayer and cat. "This is it, right?"

Natsu said nothing, only glancing at the flower then back to the horizon where the sun was beginning to set. Happy, peering at Natsu then back to the flower clutched in Lucy's palm, answered uncertainly, "Yeah, Lucy. I think that's it."

Lucy raised an eyebrow, her arm dropping to lay by her side limply. "Well, Natsu?"

Natsu blinked. "I don't know. I wasn't paying attention to him... At first."

Lucy groaned, running a hand through her hair before turning and walking down the sidewalk back to the man's house. "We'll just have to go back then, and see if it is. Jeez, Natsu," She glanced over her shoulder at her sulking partner following her with Happy perched on his shoulder. "What's going on with you?"

Natsu didn't respond, continuing to walk with his head down, hair shadowing his expression.

Turning back to face the sidewalk in front of her, Lucy continued to walk toward the house thoughtfully. Thinking back, she tried to remember exactly when Natsu had grown quiet, but she weirdly couldn't recall anything out of the ordinary happening. Was he just moody for no reason? Was it something she said?

Lucy sighed. Men talked a lot about how confusing women could be, but in reality they were just as perplexing as any girl Lucy had ever met. She glanced over her shoulder once more, and if anything, Natsu seemed even more brooding than before.

Happy looked at mage to mage and back again with a worried expression etched onto his face.

Natsu still did not look up.

Lucy stopped at the pathway to the house, her eyebrows scrunched in confusion, and stopped Natsu with a soft palm on his chest. "Natsu? What's wrong?"

He swallowed hard, stubbornly not lifting his face.

"Natsu...?" Lucy hesitantly reached out to brush his hair from his eyes. Two glistening paths down his cheeks caught her eye, and Lucy froze, her eyes widening. "N-Natsu," she gasped, her fingers frozen on his forehead.

He looked up then, his face stricken with pain and tears streaked down his cheek. His eyes dark with emotion mets hers, and he grabbed her outstretched hand tightly, grimacing as she flinched.

Lucy didn't understand. Was it this mission? Did something happen she didn't know about? "Natsu, please say something..."

He swallowed, blinking the salty water from his eyes and gently tugged her into his embrace, wrapping his arms securely around her waist and burying his face into her neck. "Lucy," he whispered, his voice rough and hoarse. "I don't want to lose you."

Lucy blinked in surprise, rubbing gentle circles into his back. "Lose me? Natsu, I'm not going anywhere. Fairy Tail is my home."

He shook his head, not releasing her from his grip. "No, you don't understand. It's like I can feel you're going to be taken from me soon. First it was that damned mission, not this guy talking about losing his partner.. Lucy, I _can't_ lose you."

Lucy's mind was spinning out of control, her heart skipping beats in her chest. Natsu was rarely this vulnerable, especially on a mission. And what mission was he talking about? She didn't remember anything life-threatening happening recently. She opened her mouth to ask him about it, when suddenly the house door swung open, and the old man gestured wildly for them to come in. "Hurry, hurry!" He cried, jumping up and down for emphasis. "Please, you cannot draw attention here!"

Natsu drew away from Lucy and took a small step back, wiping his eyes viciously with the back of his hand as he glanced at the heavyset. Giving her a small smile, he motioned toward the house. "Sorry about that, Lucy. Come on, we better go."

Lucy blinked, watching as he made his way to the man with a flabbergasted Happy following along at his heels. Lucy's mind, still spinning in fast circles, tried to wrap around what had just taken place. Natsu had fallen apart beneath her very fingertips because he was afraid he was going to lose her. When had it ever seemed like he was going to lose her? He had been totally normal, albeit slightly clingy, before taking on this mission and speaking to the man about-

About his dead partner... That's what had sparked Natsu off. Hearing the man talk about losing his partner had somehow caused Natsu to be afraid of losing Lucy.

Groaning, Lucy hurried after Natsu, opening her mouth to yell at him when suddenly a deafening explosion sounded in the far distant, instantly followed by a cloud of choking smoke that enveloped Lucy's body and threw her several feet back, where she skidded heavily into the paved sidewalk, her head slamming into the concrete. Coughing, Lucy struggled to see through her watery eyes, but the thick smoke blinded her, burning every inch of skin it touched.

She attempted to scream for Natsu, but as soon as she parted her lips, the smoke entered her body, filling her lungs and burning her from the inside out. Letting out a choked sob in pain, Lucy collapsed back into the pavement, curling into herself in an attempt to block out the fatal smoke.

"_Lucy, I _can't_ lose you._" The words repeated themselves in her mind, and Lucy promised both herself and Natsu that she wouldn't die.

_No matter what_, she told herself as even the brown colored smoke around her began turning black._ I will not die._

* * *

Hmmm. I'm still struggling with my writing, so I would love some feedback. There's something missing when I write, I just don't know what.

Sigh.

I finally finished Gossip Girl and American Horror Story so other than Clash of Clans, The Wheel of Time, and school, there's nothing stopping me from writing more.

ANed writing on my iPad with google docs is so easy. I can seriously write anywhere, so be expecting another chapter soon. :)

-Deus


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